If possible, request a meeting at their district or state office to talk about the issues. If your meeting is with a staff person to the legislator, don’t be disappointed: key staffers can have great influence with, and may know an issue better than, the Member of Congress. After the meeting, send a thank you letter. Offer to be an information resource for them in the future.

Many decisions on community services and family supports are made at the local or state level. Know which elected officials represent you by checking the blue government pages of your phone book, or checking your State Legislature website.

Attend a Town Hall or other local event sponsored or attended by your federal, state, or local representatives. Ask the officials about their position on ending Alzheimer's disease, and share your story.

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Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., and the number of patients is expected to skyrocket with the aging of the Baby Boomer generation. The more we educate others, the closer we get to stopping a disorder that takes a horrible toll on patients and their families.

Tell Congress to increase research funding to the National Institutes of Health to help doctors and patients better understand, prevent, and treat vision diseases. Working together, we can save sight for millions of Americans.